Clothes rack



June 28, 1938. c. A. WENDT CLOTHES .RACK v Filed July 10, 19-36 Patented June 28, 1938 UiT STATES 2am I PATENT orrin 2 Claims.

This invention appertains to racks, and more particularly to collapsible drying racks for articles of apparel.

It is customary for women to wash their finer articles of clothing, such as lingerie, silk hosiery, etc. themselves. These articles are generally washed in the wash basin of a bathroom, and the articles are hung to dry on the towel bar or a collapsible rack hooked over the towel bar.

In some instances, such as where quick drying is necessary, it is desirable to support the rack over or adjacent to a radiator, or other heater. None of these racks with which I am familiar can be supported from any place other than a towel bar, which is spaced a slight distance from a wall. This is due to the construction of the hooks of the rack. Thus, the uses of the rack are limited in their applications.

Therefore, one of the primary objects of my invention is to provide an apparel drying rack having hooks of a universal character associated therewith, whereby the rack can be either connected with a towel bar or with a straight or curved back of a chair, so that the chair can be moved into close proximity to a radiator, hot air register, or other heater, to permit the quick and effective drying of articles.

Another salient object of my invention is to provide a universal hook for an apparel drying rack having an elongated bill provided with a substantially rightangular free terminal, the arrangement of the bill with the terminal being such that the rack and the hooks can be conveniently placed over the back of a chair, even when the chair back is of a curved or form-fitting construction.

A further important object of my invention is the provision of an offset in the bill of the hook spaced from the free angular terminal thereof, whereby the offset can be utilized for engaging over a towel bar.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a universal hook for drying racks of the above character, which will be durable and efflcient in use, one that will be simple and easy to manufacture, and one which can be placed upon the market and associated with a drying rack at a small cost.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement, and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which drawing:-

Figure 1 is a plan view showing my improved hooks associated with an apparel drying rack, the rack being in its open position and supported from the back of a chair.

Figure 2 is an enlarged, detail vertical section taken substantially on the line 22 of Figure l, 5.,

looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure3 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing the rack associated with a towel bar.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corre- 10 spending parts throughout the several views, the numeral 5 generally indicatesan apparel drying rack having my. improved hooks 5 associated therewith.

The apparel drying rack 5' is of the convenl5 tional type, and, thus, only sufficient portions thereof are shown to permit an understanding of my invention.

As illustrated, the apparel drying rack 5 includes a supporting frame I, having pivotally con- 20 rungs 14 on which the articles of clothing can be 30 dried or suspended. The side bars l3 adjacent to, but spaced from, their rear ends are provided with openings for receiving the rung H, whereby the frame 9 can be swung on said bar H as a pivot.

When the rack is collapsed,- the frame 8 is 35 swung to a raised position inside the side bars 9 of the supporting or suspension frame I against the top bar It and the ribs I2.

When the frame 8 is in itslowered position at right angles to the supporting frame '11, as shown 40 in Figure 1 of the drawing, the upper edges of the side bars l3 engage the lower edges of the ribs l2, whereby the frame 8 is held in its horizontal position. The rear ends of the bars l3 project in rear of the supporting frame I, so that 45 the rear ends of the bars I3 will rest against the wall or other article.

In accordance with my invention, I pivotally associate with the top bar Hi my novel universal hooks l5. These hooks each embody a shank it, 50

which is rotatably mounted in the bar iii, and a bill [1. The bill I! is of an elongated character and includes a vertical leg [8, a top bight portion I9, and a downwardly projecting, substantially right-angular terminal extension 20.

The rear faces of the vertical 25 The ter- 55 minal extension 29 is spaced a considerable distance from the leg l8 and can be at a slight angle to said leg. The bight portion H) has formed therein an offset 2|, which constitutes a stop shoulder, for a purpose which will be later set forth.

When the rack is in its collapsed position, the hooks in can be swung on their shanks l6 parallel with the top bar I 6). When the rack is to be used, the hooks 9 are swung at right angles to the bar id, as is clearly shown in all of the figures of the drawing.

When the rack is to be suspended from the back of a chair, the hooks 6 are placed over the chair back with the terminal extensions 20 in engagement with the front face of the back and with a portion of the top bar of the hook in engagement with the top edge of the chair.

The arrangement of the hooks is such that the same will readily engage a chair back, even when the chair back is of the curved typ and the rear ends of the side bars l3 of the article-supporting portion 8 will engage an adjacent part of the chair back, or other article.

When the rack is to be associated with a towel bar, indicated by the reference character B in Figure 3 of the drawing, the hooks 6 are placed over the bar, with the ofiset portion 2| of the bills of the hooks engaging the bar. This will permit the efiective suspension of the rack from a towel bar.

While I have specifically mentioned in the specification that the rack can be associated with chairs, it is to be understood that the hooks are of such a character that the same can be associated with any convenient object, such as furniture drawers, suitcase handles, and the like.

In the drawing, the shank 16 of the hook is shown with an offset projecting toward the inner face of the top bar, but it is to be understood that the ofiset can be made to project toward the outer face of the rack.

From the foregoing description it can be seen that I have provided auniversal hook arrangement for article-drying racks, which will permit the rack to be suspended from towel bars, the backs of chairs, and the like.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of my invention, but what I claim as new is:

1. In a suspension device, a connecting memher, a pair of spaced hooks pivotally carried by said member, each of said hooks including an elongated bill having an ofiset portion and a depending angularly extending terminal portion.

2. In asuspension device, a connecting member, spaced hooks carried by said member on opposite sides of the transverse center of said member, each of the hooks including a shank and an elongated bill, the bill having a bight portion and an angularly extending terminal portion, said bight portion having an offset portion arranged above and in spaced relation to the terminal portion.

CHARLES A. W'ENDT. 

